STORMS IN GAZA
Storms have hit Gaza again, aggravating a humanitarian situation already teetering on the brink. Torrential rains and freezing temperatures are bringing thousands of families to their knees, forcing them to live in makeshift tents, while children and adolescents remain cut off from crucial protection and support.
According to some humanitarian organisations, the reopening of the Rafah crossing in one direction does not meet the needs of the population trapped in the Strip. Allowing people to leave without guaranteeing the entry of aid, they warn, effectively turns survival into a tool of pressure, pushing Palestinians away from their land. This measure is described as a violation of international humanitarian law, as well as a breach of the commitments outlined in the first phase of the ceasefire plan with Israel.
In the makeshift camps, rainwater floods the tents, soaking blankets and mattresses. Many people spend sleepless nights shivering because all their belongings are drenched. They are in desperate need of tent poles, durable tarpaulins, warm clothes, shoes, and blankets. Restrictions on materials that are considered 'dual-use', i.e. that can be used to offend or to kill, also block the tools required to fix damaged shelters and to work on a sanitation system compromised by two years of bombing.
The consequences particularly affect the youngest children. During the recent storms, half of the 'child-friendly' spaces run by humanitarian organisations were forced to close due to flooding and sewage contamination. In the areas that have remained open, attendance has dropped sharply: muddy ground and a lack of adequate clothing prevent children from leaving the tents. Services that once offered even minimal psychological support and access to learning have effectively become unreachable.
Despite the restrictions, field workers continue to intervene with locally sourced resources. When possible, families receive winter kits for their homes, protective items for children, and cash aid to cover basic necessities. At the beginning of December, hygiene and nursing kits also arrived, but in insufficient quantities to meet the needs of a population of almost two million people.
Aid workers emphasise that Israel has a legal obligation to guarantee the basic needs of the civilian population. Lifting the siege, opening the crossings in both directions and allowing full and safe humanitarian access is not only a political demand, but a duty under international law. Without these steps, winter risks turning into yet another silent emergency, a price mainly paid by the children of Gaza.
